Deesha Philyaw Doesn't Believe in Writer's Block or Imposter Syndrome and What to Ask if You Do

Episode Description

In this powerful conversation, Aransas speaks with Deesha Philyaw, whose debut short story collection "The Secret Lives of Church Ladies" swept every major literary award, winning the PEN/Faulkner Award, The Story Prize, the LA Times Book Prize, and earning a National Book Award nomination.

Deesha shares her journey from rule-following church girl to award-winning author, revealing how losing her mother at 34 became a catalyst for refusing to spend her one precious life doing anything she didn't want to do. She opens up about navigating the complex relationship with her mother, who felt "intimidated" by her, and how writing fiction became her secret way of processing dissatisfaction with evangelical expectations.

This conversation dives deep into practical strategies for creative sustainability, including how to manage multiple projects without burnout, the power of "working alone together," and why Deesha believes writer's block and imposter syndrome are just surface layers hiding deeper truths. You'll also hear about her commitment to literary citizenship and breaking down barriers for BIPOC writers through mentorship and community building.

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Connection

01:41

The Journey of Writing 'Church Ladies'

04:28

Mother-Daughter Dynamics and Personal Reflections

06:47

Expectations and Breaking Free

06:47

Navigating Personal and Societal Expectations

07:26

The Impact of Loss and Finding Purpose

09:14

The Writer's Path and Overcoming Challenges

11:27

Creating Community and Support in Writing

13:03

The Importance of Collaboration and Connection

15:48

Final Thoughts and Reflections

16:35

New Chapter

21:20

Balancing Life and Creativity

22:34

The Art of Multitasking

24:14

Navigating the Publishing Journey

25:04

Embracing the Uncontrollable

27:00

Managing Multiple Projects

28:43

Setting Realistic Expectations

29:50

The Power of Saying No

32:34

Finding What Truly Matters

35:15

Building Community and Supporting Others

44:06

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Notable Quotes

"I just don't have time to not do the things I wanna do."

"When we stop at writer's block or imposter syndrome, we're not interrogating it... There's always something. But when you interrogate it and it's an actual thing that you can address either in therapy or in some other way, then it's a movable object."

"I don't want to spend the one life I get doing something I don't wanna do... And then why spend that time writing something that makes other people happy or is playing scared or is playing safe."

About Deesha Philyaw

Deesha Philyaw is the author of "The Secret Lives of Church Ladies," winner of the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award, The Story Prize, and the 2020/2021 LA Times Book Prize in Fiction, and finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction. She's also the co-author of "Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Kids Thrive in Two Households After Divorce." Her writing on race, parenting, gender, and culture has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney's, and elsewhere. She's a regular contributor to The Rumpus and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Resources Mentioned

Referenced Resources:

• 
  
• Deesha Philyaw
• ’s Substack newsletter, which includes pre-orders for debut writers and indie bookstore support through Bookshop.org